The 2026 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement is building throughout Iowa. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Iowa.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Carroll or Cedar Rapids at the IHSAA 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A State Tournaments, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to shine a spotlight on all teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Iowa.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.

Each week we will be releasing our Diamond Notes, covering all the bases across the state of Iowa.

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Southeast Polk Rams

High School: Southeast Polk
Head Coach: Scot Surprenant
Class: Class 4A
2025 Record (Finish): 24-18 (Substate Final)

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ Chase Burke - Grand View commit

+ Maddox Bartling - Indian Hills CC commit

+ Alex Williams - Southeastern CC commit

+ Brayden Lewis

+ Mason Olson

+ Reece Whinery - Wartburg commit

+ Zach Laquement

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TOP UNDERCLASSMEN

+ Zion McCool

+ Reid Thompson

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ALUMNI IN COLLEGE

+ Maddox O'Connor - Ellsworth CC

+ Connor Duong - Buena Vista

+ Ean McDaniel - Buena Vista

+ Kaden Hills - Iowa Central CC

+ Alex Stewart - Northwest Oklahoma State

+ Cameron Hull - Waubonsee CC

+ Hunter Brown - Northern State University

+ Brett Nicodemus - Upper Iowa University

+ Hayden Wolf - Buena Vista Univ

+ Mason Hedrick - Kirkwood CC

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TEAM OUTLOOK

“As we head into the 2026 season with Southeast Polk High School baseball, there’s a quiet confidence about this group. We’re returning a strong core on the mound with Alex Williams, Chase Burke, Mason Olson, and Reece Whinery. These guys have already carried a big load for us. That experience matters. It gives us a steady foundation, and it sets the tone for who we want to be.Behind them, we’ve got consistency defensively with Maddox Bartling and Jaxson Regan in the infield, and Brayden Lewis and Zach Laquement in the outfield. There’s trust there—and that’s something you can’t fake. We’re not focused on outcomes right now, we’re focused on the process. Showing up every day, doing things the right way, and trusting that it adds up over time. And honestly, not a lot of people are expecting much from us this year, and that’s okay. There’s something powerful about a group that just goes to work, stays connected, and plays for each other. We like where we’re at. And we’re excited to see where it goes.” – Scot Surprenant, head coach

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Find more information on the 2026 Southeast Polk program below:

+ Follow them on X: @BaseballSEP
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Iowa 2026 HS Team Previews

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL IOWA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Iowa on X
+ Prep Baseball Iowa on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Iowa on Facebook

 

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